I Just Can't Live A Lie
by Miah-Chan
Summary: Sakura blamed it on the medical papers and fatigue, but she knew she should have been more alert for such an ambush. After all, she’d been personally trained in detecting Akatsuki members, all of them. SASUSAKU. T for safety. Summery sucks, sorry guys.
1. Prologue

Hello everyone! :) I'm finally back, with another SasuSaku!! :D Yay! This one is actually a story, with chapters; finally, lol. I've been missing writing good, long fanfics. It's a work in progress right now, so bare with me on Updates. I've gotten up to Chapter 5 in Microsoft. So you guys should have regular updates up until that point. :)  
Anyway I hope you enjoy the prologue to this fanfic. Chapter 1 will come soon!

Miah-Chan **disclaims** Naruto!

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******I Just Can't Live A Lie**

**Prologue**

"Target found."

"Are you certain?"

"Absolutely. Target sighted and in position to capture."

"…Do it."

*****

Haruno Sakura sat behind her desk, looking over medical papers for her patients. It was late, about twelve in the morning now, but she didn't have time for sleep with all of these patients to care for. What, with Ino being sick herself, only a few nurses to help out in Ino's stead, and a couple of know-nothing interns, she had no choice but to work overtime. It may cost her, her own health in the long run but the patients came first.

Maybe that's why, with her thoughts so engrossed in her work, Sakura never heard the slight thud that the window made against the sill as it was opened, or the near-silent footsteps making their way across the floor that she had been specially trained to notice. Perhaps that's why she never had a chance at defending herself, even when the shadow passed over her, before she was knocked unconscious.

Sakura blamed it on the medical papers and fatigue, but she knew she should have been more alert for such an ambush. After all, she'd been personally trained in detecting Akatsuki members, all of them. But maybe because she hadn't known that Akatsuki had four newer members was why she had fallen prey to their kidnapping.

Whatever the reason, that night, Haruno Sakura had fallen into the hands of the Akatsuki and it would forever change her life.

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Yes, extremely short. Sorry guys. Like I said, Chapter 1 will come soon. Until then, reviews are loved, as always!! *nods* :)

~Miah-Chan


	2. Chapter 1

I thank you guys all so much for the reviews, story alerts, story favs, etc.!! :D I was so happy to see that just the Prologue itself had so much positive feedback. *grins* I'm very excited about posting this new story now, so I hope not to disappoint you all with it.

**Discalimer**: I do not own Naruto.

**Important A/U!!** Those of you who know my work understand it's usually useful to read these. Anyway, I do want to mention that this fic progresses at a rather faster pace. Faster than I would normally like to write it, but seeing as I didn't really think I would do much with this fic, I'm writing it fast. **Sasuke may seem OOC. _I_ think that he does but that's up to you readers to decide. I hope that even if he does seem OOC, it's not too bad.** *cringes* **Also, this chapter does contain some bad language.** Simply a warning.  
But, without further ado, I hope you enjoy this chapter of "I Just Can't Live A Lie". :D

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**Chapter One**

Sakura awoke to the sound of voices, but she couldn't detect whose they were or where they were coming from. They sounded distant and muffled though; she was inside a room, then, a somewhat large one judging by the echoes made when she shifted.

Almost instantly upon regaining consciousness, she figured out four things: one, her hands and feet were bound; two, she had been gagged; three, she was also blindfolded; and lastly, she was on a bed.

The first three didn't surprise her, but the mere fact that she was on a bed confused her. Why, as a captive, would she be allowed the luxuries of comfort? Did her captors want to try bribing her to work for them? If so it wouldn't work; she'd rather rot in a basement than work for whomever had kidnapped her. And she was fairly sure who that was.

Sakura lie awake for what she assumed to be about an hour or two. She never once tried to scream, nor did she attempt to escape the ropes that bound her. She had already figured out that the binds were chakara-induced, thus impossible to escape from, and she also figured that even if she did escape her binds, there would be no point in running. There were sure to be guards of some sort outside or near her door. And screaming would be useless; the gag prevented her from that, and where would it get her? She'd have her captors in the room in seconds, which was the last thing she wanted. She needed time to gather her thoughts and strategies.

Somewhere along the time that she lay in bed thinking, she fell asleep. Therefore, missing the entrance made by one of her captors. Or more specifically, her keeper.

He looked her over a couple of times; appreciating the curves she had developed over the years. She was dressed in what looked like an ANBU uniform, but without the armor—they'd removed that and her weapons of course. Her hair had originally been in a neat bun, but throughout the process of transporting her, many pieces had come undone. He also noticed that her headband was now tied around her upper arm underneath the ANBU tattoo mark.

He stood there, in front of the closed door for a few moments before sighing and walking to her side. Her back was to him and he turned her so that she lay on her back instead. Waiting a moment, he finally said, "Wake up."

He saw that she instantly reacted to him, jolting into a sitting position almost as soon as he finished speaking. Her breathing quickened a bit, but gradually returned to normal. She did not turn her head to search for the source of his voice, but rather continued to face forward, waiting.  
"I'm going to remove the gag. If you scream, I'll knock you out." He told her calmly, taking hold of the gag and slipping it away from her mouth so that it fell against her neck like some crude necklace. She did not speak at all, but waited.

"Good. Do you know who I am?" he inquired.

"Yes." She whispered. He frowned.

"Say my name."

She swallowed nervously but answered, "Uchiha Sasuke."

He nodded, knowing she'd sense it. There was a silence before he continued, "You're with Akatsuki."

"Why?"

"That will come later when we are certain you won't try to escape."

Sakura gave a wry smirk.

"Why would I bother? I'm pretty sure I already know what I'm here for anyway. You need my medical skills and since I'm the only student trained under malady Hokage-Tsunade, I am the only person eligible to heal whatever sickness your organization may have."

Sasuke watched her in silence, not surprised she had figured out why she was here. The why wasn't the hard part; the what, was.  
"So now that you understand why you're here, what will you do?" he asked casually.

"I don't know. If you need me for insanity, I'm afraid there is no help for you. And I'm quite sure that's a sickness this entire organization has. Therefore I'm of no use."

Sasuke allowed himself a smirk. She still had a sense of humor, though dark it may be now. He remained silent a moment before saying monotonously, "We will discuss what you need to do later. For now, get some rest. You'll be needing it."

With that said, he replaced the gag and left.

*****

It was much later when Sasuke came back. Sakura had done as he had told her and gotten rest, much of which she had needed anyway. She awoke as soon as he entered the room, however. Her heart still beat frantically whenever she felt his presence. It wasn't that she was afraid of him, for he showed no malice towards her, but it was the fact that she was so _close_ to him and there was nothing she could do to persuade him to her side.

To say the least, it sucked.

"I brought you dinner," he said in that God-awful monotone of voice. Sakura nearly groaned. Couldn't he show at least a _little_ emotion? For goodness sake, it was only the two of them. It wasn't like he was fooling anyone.

She waited for him to take away the gag before she asked, "What about the blindfold?"

"No."

Confused, she frowned. That was stupid; it wasn't like she could do anything just by being able to see.

"Why not? I know who you are; I know what you look like. I know I'm in some Akatsuki hideout. I'm pretty sure I'm underground. And it's not like I can suddenly escape just by being able to see." She rationalized. She sensed him shake his head.

"No. Leave it be; there are reasons." He answered. She heard the tinkling of utensils against a plate and groaned.

"You have got to be kidding me. You are _not_ feeding me." She snapped.

"I am, unfortunately, and you _will_ eat." He snapped back. She clamped her mouth shut and didn't respond. Arrogant jackass. She didn't know how she had ever liked him.

"Open your mouth, Sakura." He ordered. She didn't respond. He sighed and threatened in a warning tone, "Don't make me force you." Surprisingly enough, the trick didn't work with her. Normally the person would become prideful and give him a snide remark in return, therefore giving him access to feeding them. But she was smart; he knew she was, and she did not open her mouth to retort.

Sasuke sighed again and said, "Sakura, you're smarter than this. You know that if you don't eat you will die. I have no problem not feeding you—it's your choice." He waited a moment and saw as her jaw clenched. He waited for her answer.

"I'd rather die than help save your pitiful group," she growled through clenched teeth. Sasuke scowled; dammit, she was better than he had anticipated. The only reason he had taken on the job as her keeper was because he was almost certain he could control her. But no, she'd gone and grown a backbone over the years.

Remaining emotionless, he stood from the chair he had set beside the bed and placed the trey of food on it. Reaching over he muttered, "Whatever. Suit yourself." And replaced her gag. She didn't fight him, which was another surprise to him. She hadn't fought at all since she'd awakened. It was beginning to look suspicious, but he knew there was no way she could escape.

After gagging her again, he picked up the tray of food and left her.

Sakura remained as she was until his footsteps faded. After that she lay back down and drifted into a dark, dreamless sleep.

*****

"Eat."

Sakura shook her head. Sasuke clenched his teeth and gripped the fork in frustration. Damn this girl!

"Sakura, it's been two days. Nearly three, considering this is your dinner, if you'd eat it. You have to eat." He chastised her evenly. Years of keeping his emotions hidden were paying off. Though he was getting angry with her, it took almost no effort to hide it.

The pink-haired girl shook her head again, more forcefully. At this, Sasuke growled and stood up, placing the trey of food next to her. He stood beside her and said, "I'm sick of you're stubbornness. I'll just have to force it down your throat." With that said, he pinched her nose, closing off the only other air supplier she had other than her mouth.

She sat there for a few seconds, seemingly unaffected. Her cheeks began to turn a rosy color of pink, then red, and finally a scarlet coloring. When she became more like a purple, Sasuke released her. Sakura gasped, sucking in oxygen to her lungs. Once she got her breath back, Sasuke shoved the forkful of food into her mouth.

"Damn it—" she started to say but stopped. She chewed slowly and swallowed but didn't open her mouth again. Sasuke sighed.

"Are you being this difficult because you want to die, or because you want to spite me?" he inquired, spearing another piece of meat with the fork as he waited for her answer. She was quiet a moment before saying icily, "Neither. I just don't want to be a traitor like some people."

Sasuke didn't move for a moment, taking the comment like a blow. Normally it wouldn't have bothered him; he didn't know why it did now. Growling, he picked up the tray of food and snapped, "Then die a captive."

With that said, he left the room, slamming the door behind him.

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*hides* How was it? Was Sasuke too OOC? Do I need to go through my next couple of chapters and re-write him?? *cringes* Ahhh, I forget the emotions that come along with posting a new fic lol. :P But in any case,** reviews are certainly loved!!!** :D Next chapter coming soon!!

~Miah-Chan


	3. Chapter 2

Finally updating guys!! Sorry it took so long; busy with school and whatnot. Thank you all for your patience and activity concerning this fic!! :D I'm so glad it's taken off as well as it has so far. :]

**Miah-Chan disclaims Naruto!**

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**Chapter Two**

'_How long have I been here?_' Sakura questioned to herself as she lay in darkness. She couldn't remember now just how long. She knew that she'd been permitted bathroom breaks at certain times, but she couldn't think of how long ago those might have been. She also knew that Sasuke visited her three times a day to feed her, which she continued to refuse despite her demanding stomach, but that also didn't help to tell her how long she had been here.

Sasuke didn't talk to her much either. He had mentioned once that she'd been here three days, but that seemed to be a long time ago. However many days it was, they blended together in her mind.

Sakura longed to see light, whatever kind there may be. This blindfold was making her crazy. Darkness was making her crazy. She lay in the bed, restless and hungry, but unable to sleep and refusing to eat. She only walked when a guard came in to take her to the bathroom, and the only movement she could do on the bed was roll over, which she didn't do much since she was afraid of falling over the side. Playing captive like a good little girl was harder than she had first imagined.

'_I wonder if anyone is looking for me…_' was another thought that crossed her mind many times. She knew that Naruto was out there, somewhere, searching for her. As the Hokage, and her friend, he would be the first one on the job; she knew he'd be out there looking. She was certain that a squad was with him. But she doubted very highly that they'd ever find her. They couldn't find Sasuke when she had been in Konoha, and since she now was in residence with him, she knew it would be near impossible to find her.

Sakura sighed softly and turned her head to the other side. Not only was it constantly dark, but it was always silent as well. She knew there were multiple people here, whom she assumed were the Akatsuki members and guards, by their chakara but she never heard anything from them. Which meant there were more levels in this place. Sakura smirked lightly. It would figure that she could assume all of these things correctly, more than likely, and never be able to tell Naruto about it or do something about it.

She finally fell into a restless sleep, her dreams consisting of seeing Naruto through a hidden cage and being mute to tell him that she was there.

*****

Sasuke entered Sakura's room silently, as always. By his side was a man whom wore a spiraled orange and black mask and an Akatsuki cloak. The man seemed to study Sakura's tossing form a moment before he turned to Sasuke and spoke.

"She hasn't eaten." He stated. Sasuke shook his head.

"She refuses." He answered, glaring at the girl. The man glanced towards Sakura and replied, "Then you will find a way, any way at all, to make her. She is the only hope we have, Sasuke. If you want to continue to live long enough to enforce your justice, then you will do whatever is necessary to sway her to our side." The man looked at Sasuke through his mask. Even with the mask in place, Sasuke could imagine the cool, calculating look he was receiving.

Sasuke ground his teeth hard. "What are you suggesting I do?" he inquired. The man chuckled and Sasuke could almost see the evil grin he was giving.

"She used to love you, did she not? Make her love you again. A woman will do anything for the man she loves." He said with a sly tone. Sasuke felt as though he could throw up at the answer he had been given. Trick Sakura into loving him again? She hated him. And he was beyond love now.

"She may hate you now," the man said as though reading his mind. "But that childish love is still there, deep in her heart. All you have to do is simply rekindle it and it will ignite once more. This I promise you. And you must play along, Sasuke. She will never believe you if you continue to be cold with her."

Sasuke glared at him as he turned on his heel and left. The only thing that made him stay was Sakura's cry. Sasuke turned back to her at the sound, his brows furrowing in frustration and worry. She couldn't possibly love him again. And he couldn't possibly pretend to love her now.

'_If you want to continue to live long enough to enforce your justice, then you will do whatever is necessary to sway her to our side._' His leader's words rang inside his head. Sasuke growled and shut the door softly, walking over to Sakura's bed. She cried out once more and he could make out wetness on her cheeks that could only be tears. Sighing, Sasuke knelt beside her and brushed cool fingers across her cheek, wiping away the tears gently. Sakura's cry caught in her throat as she woke.

She violently turned her head away from him, clenching her teeth. His touch had been gentle, almost loving. She couldn't bear for him to touch her. Not now. Not after having such a nightmare.

"Sakura," Sasuke murmured huskily, feeling a bit hurt at her reaction. Which was nonsense; her reaction had been expected. He was untrustworthy; why shouldn't she be repulsed at his touch?

"What do you want?" she whispered, tears still evident in her voice. Her head remained turned away from him even as she fought to sit in an upright position. Sasuke placed a hand in between her shoulder blades and one on her shoulder and helped her. Sakura jerked at his touch, but was too weak to pull away. Sasuke let her go even so.

"You need to eat, Sakura." He replied in way of answer. Sakura snorted.

"This routine again? C'mon Sasuke, you're a genius. Start acting like one. If I haven't eaten yet, why would I begin now?" she said with venom. Sasuke actually chuckled.

"Anyone will eat when hungry enough. C'mon Sakura, you're a smart girl. If I keep coming back to feed you, why should I stop now?"

"Because you don't really care if I live or die. You only care about my skills." She snapped icily. Sasuke's smirk faded and he shook his head.

'_And you must play along, Sasuke. She will never believe you if you continue to be cold with her._' His leader's voice whispered in his mind once more. Sasuke grit his teeth and replied softly, "That's not why I continue to come back, Sakura. Believe it if you must, but it's the wrong reason."

Sakura turned her head towards him, puzzlement evident on her features. But she said nothing. Sasuke found it surprising how easy it actually was to fall into the roll of a caring and trusting person again. He shook his head to himself. Perhaps the years of hiding away his emotions had turned him into a better actor than he had thought.

"I'll be back shortly." He said when silence continued. After that, he left to get a tray of food for her.

Sakura frowned to herself. He had been different this time. She may have lost track of time and days, but she knew this wasn't the time for him to be in here. It wasn't time for a meal. But yet, here he was anyway. Why? And why had he given off such a different feeling? A feeling like…like he actually…_cared_. But that was crazy, wasn't it?

Sakura shook her head hard. Maybe she was really going nuts. Sasuke didn't care about her any more than she cared about him anymore. But what sickened her was that little feeling of hope in her heart. That feeling that maybe, just maybe, he really did love her back. Oh, yes, she still loved him. That was inevitable. She would always love him. But she had hidden those feelings deep inside her heart, vowing never to release them again. They were too much trouble, too much cost to her well-being. But she did still love him. And even if she did, even if those feelings continued to remain hidden, she couldn't afford the hope that he returned them.

Sasuke returned sooner than she expected, ripping her out of her thoughts. She felt him approach, his footsteps light and slow. Cautious? Was he here when he shouldn't be? Was he going against orders?

The smell of food hit her next as he came to sit beside her. Meat, mostly. Freshly cooked meat. Her stomach growled loudly and she growled back at it.

Sasuke chuckled again and Sakura felt her resistance weakening at the sound. But she shoved the feeling aside, remembering all the things about him that had helped her forget her feelings all these years. Her resistance came back full force.

"Sakura, even your stomach rebels against you. Just eat." He said. He must have cut the meat and forked it, because all of a sudden there was the desirable, mouth-watering smell of food under her nose. Sakura bit her tongue and turned her head away.

"No." she refused with effort. Sasuke sighed and she felt his cool fingers take her chin in his hand and turn her head back to face him. His grip was gentle, but still strong. She didn't bother trying to get out of it.

"Come on Sakura. It's good." He paused and she felt him hesitate. She could sense him turn to look where she presumed to door was. He looked back at her and said, "If you'll eat, I'll let you feed yourself."

Shocked, Sakura forgot that it was unwise to speak in this situation and asked, "What? Are you stupid? By untying me you'd be putting yourself at risk."

Sasuke laughed. Actually _laughed_. Knowing she should feel insulted, she still felt her heart melt. Oh yeah, she still loved him. She'd missed his laugh so much.

"Oh come on. Risk, from you? That's amusing. You're especially weak right now, Sakura, ANBU or not these days." He chuckled again and began to untie her hands. Sakura huffed.

"Ass," she muttered snidely, but her heart was soaring.

"Yeah, whatever. Here's the tray. Now eat." He said, handing her the tray. Sakura began to take off the blindfold but he trapped her hands with his first. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Not until I'm gone. I'll be right outside the door, so don't bother trying to run away when I leave. When you're done, call for me. I'll hear you. You have to replace the blindfold before I enter again." He instructed her evenly. Sakura frowned at the last part.

"Why? Why can't I see you?" she inquired. Sasuke shrugged.

"All I know is that you're not allowed to see any of us. By untying you and leaving you untied with a potential weapon while I'm gone, I'm already breaking tons of rules. So just follow this one and it'll be our secret."

Sasuke hesitated for only a moment before nodding her agreement. Sasuke released her hands and exited the room. As soon as he was gone, Sakura pulled off the blindfold.

Blinking rapidly to let her eyes become used to the light she had long gone without, she finally got a good look at the room she was in. It was small, and entirely dirt; walls, floor, ceiling. That meant she was underground, for sure. The bed she was on had its headboard against the wall, residing in the middle of it. The door she was sure Sasuke had exited through was only a couple of feet away, diagonal from the bed, to the left. Another door, diagonal of the bed to the right, straight across from the other door, was what she assumed had to be the bathroom. After examining the room, Sakura took a look at the food on her tray.

Not caring what may be in it—she was certain they wouldn't poison her, since they had kidnapped her in the first place—she dug in. The food was wonderful, filling her all too quickly. But once she was full she stopped, knowing that if she forced herself to eat more she'd become sick. Placing the tray aside, she looked longingly at the door.

She wanted to see him. She wanted to see his face, to see if he looked the same as he always had. To see if the softness and caring that he had shown her was there on his features. She doubted it; he had never let his emotions show. And she was sure he most definitely wouldn't let them show here, the heart of the Akatsuki. This made her wonder why he even showed her these emotions while he was alone with her.

"I'm finished Sasuke." She called softly. Unwillingly she covered her eyes with the blindfold. She was attempting to tie it when he entered.

The tray was almost empty, and she was fiddling with the blindfold obediently, her head down so as not to catch a glimpse of him if she couldn't tie it correctly. Sasuke actually smiled.

Tobi—or Madara, as he now called him—had been right. She still loved him, somehow. And she was doing exactly as he had told her to do because she didn't want to see him get in trouble.

"Here," he said softly, taking the blindfold out of her hands. Her eyes were closed but he could tell it was an effort to keep them that way. She wanted to see him badly, he knew. Without another word, he replaced the blindfold across her eyes and tied it successfully. Sakura sighed in disappointment.

"Thank you," they both said at once. Sasuke tilted his head, puzzled.

"What for?" he asked before she could. Sakura shrugged.

"Allowing me that bit of freedom." She answered in a murmur. Sasuke touched her hand briefly before taking a step away from her.

"You're welcome," he said, beginning to turn away.

"Wait. What did you mean, thank you?" she asked, not ready for him to leave just yet. It was…nice, having him here with her. Not so lonely.

Sasuke paused at the door. Then, simply, he stated, "For eating. Get some sleep. We'll talk again in the morning."

When the door shut, Sakura was smiling for the first time since she'd been here.

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Hope you guys liked this chappie. :] I promise to try to UD sooner next time!! Until then, reviews are loved!! :D  
Bye-de-byes, guys!!

~Miah-Chan


	4. Chapter 3

Goodness guys, I'm so sorry it's taken me forever to UD! School's been keeping me busy and I had a few changes to make in this chapter and others. Thank you for all being patient with the fic, and I now give you Chapter 3!

**Disclaimer:** Miah-Chan does not own Naruto!

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**Chapter 3.**

"How long have I been here?" Sakura asked the next morning. Sasuke was feeding her this time, having told her he couldn't risk being caught letting her feed herself. She understood, and allowed him to do so.

"Hmm…about a week now I think." He answered, holding another piece of breakfast out for her. She took the bite, chewed, and swallowed before replying, "It seems longer."

"It's the blindfold. The darkness and silence of this place makes you feel as though you've been here for months, doesn't it?" he stated. Sakura nodded as she chewed another piece of her food. Once she had finished, Sasuke stood to leave.

"What do you do?" Sakura asked suddenly. He hesitated. "Around here, I mean." She continued. "Do you go out on missions or something?"

"No, not usually. Most of the time, I stay here, on the upper levels." He answered carefully. Though he wasn't being cold with her much more, it was still dangerous to give her too much information at this time. And it went against pretty much every fiber of his being.

He saw when she hesitated and decided not to ask. Curious, he questioned, "Why do you ask?" She sighed and shrugged.

"Nothing. I was just wondering. It's always quiet, so I figured no one was around much." She lied. Sasuke frowned and came back to sit beside her.

"You're not much of a liar, are you, Sakura?" he stated casually, leaning back in the chair with his arms crossed over his chest. The pink-haired kunoichi huffed.

"For your information, I happen to be an ANBU Black Op now. I can lie very well." She snapped, only half-hearted. Sasuke snorted.

"Sure, whatever. Either way, you just lied to my face. I don't appreciate that."

Sakura sniffed, her nose in the air, face turned from him. "Yeah? Well I don't appreciate being left alone for hours on end with no way to tell what's going on either, but you don't see me crying over it."

A smile twitched at Sasuke's lips. She definitely had spirit, this girl. More than he remembered her ever having. He wondered what had happened to make her have it.

"Oh?" he shifted, leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, as he looked her over. "Well, you're a captive. What do you expect?"

"I don't expect anything more than what I've got. That's why you don't hear me complaining." she smirked a bit, the closest he had seen to a smile from her. Sasuke nodded, thinking it over. Madara wanted her to agree to help them soon. Which meant he would have to start stepping it up to make her love him again. Which basically meant he would have to pretend to love her back. He sighed silently. Being nice and caring and talkative weren't very hard at this point, but pretending to love her? He barely touched her if he could help it. So how was he supposed to make her think he loved her?

"What are you thinking about?" her voice inquired through the haze of his thoughts. Sasuke snapped his head to look back at her. Though she was blindfolded, she was looking right at him and he could feel the questioning in her gaze.

"Nothing. Just that, perhaps I could…" he trailed off, wondering if it was a good idea. But Madara wanted her soon, and he wasn't but so patient. Sasuke continued speaking after a pause. "I could stay here. With you."

Sakura's shock was obvious. "Why would you want to do that?" she asked cautiously.

"Like I said, all I do around here is hang around upstairs. You're much more interesting." He answered, adding a tone of teasing to his voice. He was pretty good at this acting thing.

Sakura snorted and lay back on the bed, shifting so she was on her side, facing him. "Whatever. You're bound to have something better to do than sit here with a captive all day."

"Not really."

She smirked again. "Sure. Do whatever you want, as I'm sure you will anyway."

"I most certainly will," he smirked back. They remained in silence for a while until Sakura asked, uncertainly, "Why are you acting like this, all of a sudden?"

"Like what?" he asked absentmindedly, his eyes closed in thought.

"You're talking to me. A lot. You're teasing. You want to spend time with me. Why? You never have before." She said, which sounded more like an accusation. Sasuke frowned, eyes still closed.

'_What to say?_' he thought hurriedly. Finally he just replied, "I've…missed you." Was it a bad thing that it hadn't taken him effort to say that? Or was he just better at acting than he thought?

Silence was the only thing that Sakura could give him for a few moments. She was simply too stunned to say anything at all. Finally, she whispered, "I don't believe you."

Sasuke opened his eyes to glare at her, grateful that she couldn't see him. He waited a second, then asked, "Why not?"

"Because it's not like you. You're never this open."

"Perhaps I've changed."

"Yeah, right. You haven't changed, Sasuke. I can tell that much." She frowned, her pretty lips pursing in thought. Sasuke found he couldn't look away from them.

"I'm not sure what it is you're up to, but I know its something." She said quietly. Sasuke blinked, bringing himself out of the trance he had been caught in, and looked away shakily.

"Believe what you will, Sakura, but I'm not." He answered with an easy lie. She shrugged and they fell into silence. It was then Sasuke's turn to ask.

"How is Konoha?" In other words, how was Naruto. But he knew he couldn't ask it like that.

"Good. Naruto became Hokage a few years ago." She answered, knowing he wanted the information on Naruto. He could have cared less about Konoha itself.

"Really?" he was surprised. He hadn't expected that. Sakura nodded and continued, "Yes. He's great at it, too. The entire village respects him. Everyone loves him as Hokage. He's very much like his father in the way that he rules." She smiled softly at the thought. Naruto had grown up a lot in the time that he had become Hokage, but it was a good change for him. He had become much wiser.

"That's…" Excellent, he thought but didn't say. He left the sentence hanging, changing the subject quickly to her. "And you? An ANBU now, right?"

"Yes. I have been since Naruto became Hokage. Which is why it shames me to be here right now." By her smirk he could tell she was half-joking. Sasuke smirked to himself and relaxed a bit. Small talk wasn't as bad as he had anticipated, if he kept the conversation away from himself.

"Do you like it?"

"It's not bad. You get more missions." She replied evasively. He nodded and left it at that. There were things she couldn't tell him about being ANBU, he knew. Just like there were things he could never tell her about Akatsuki.

They chatted by way of small talk for a while longer, only a few awkward silences interrupting them, until Sasuke realized it was lunchtime. He left to get the food, came back, fed her, and they resumed talking until dinnertime. Again, the same actions were repeated. Finally it was time to sleep.

"I suppose I'd better…" Sasuke fought and lost a battle with a yawn. "Head back to my room." His eyes felt heavy and he realized that for once he was actually tired.

"Yes, you probably should." Sakura agreed, yawning as well. Sasuke stood from the chair and paused, thinking about what to do. After a moment's hesitation, he bent to kiss her forehead, murmured goodnight, and left the room.

Sakura lay, stunned for a few more moments before sleep took hold of her mind and dragged her under. But this time, no nightmares frightened her nor did dreams leave her waking up wistful. Tonight, she slept soundly.

As did Sasuke, only a few floors above her.

*****

"How is she progressing?" Madara asked another week later once he was alone with Sasuke. The raven-haired Uchiha had his back facing him as he tapped his fingers in a steady rhythm on the arm of the chair he sat in. Madara stood in the doorway, waiting for an answer. Sasuke finally gave it to him, of course after making him wait a few more minuets.

"She's…progressing." He said evasively. Madara frowned. He knew the young Uchiha was solitary and kept to himself whatever information he wished, but he _knew_ that the girl had to be willing to save them. And if he didn't try to persuade her soon, it would be too late.

"How quickly is she progressing, exactly?" he asked coolly, leaving no room for maneuvering around a straight answer. Sasuke sighed and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the chair.

"Not quickly enough." He paused before continuing, "I have to gain her trust, Madara. It won't be easy, nor will it be fast, considering the way I betrayed everyone. Especially her." He shifted in his seat but didn't turn to face his leader. "It will take time." He said with emphasis.

Madara ground his teeth. "We don't have time, Sasuke. You know that."

"It can't be helped." Sasuke answered coldly.

"Oh, but it can. And I intend to make it happen _today_. She _will_ believe that you're in love with her and she _will_ agree to help us." Madara growled back hotly. Sasuke didn't move. Madara's lips curved into a hidden snarling smile.

"And you will be the one to make sure of it. Whether it's truly you or not."

That got his attention. Sasuke was in front of him in an instant, features contorted in a cold rage. His obsidian eyes burned into those he could not see and he snarled, "And how exactly do you plan on doing that? I won't be able to get her to trust me in a day, Madara."

"You won't have to. I'll do it for you. Just do exactly as I say. All I need is your presence and your voice." He smirked. Sasuke clenched his fists by his sides.

"I don't have a choice, do I." He stated monotonously. Madara shook his head and replied casually, "Unless you want to die, that is." He watched smugly as Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair, defeated.

"Fine."

"Good. Then let's go."

*****

Sakura turned towards the sound of the door opening. She felt Sasuke's presence as he entered and heard his hurried footsteps as he came towards her. She fought the smile that threatened her lips. He was early today; perhaps they could have another day to themselves.

"Hey," she said softly as he came to stand beside her.

"Hey," he replied just as softly. She sensed him kneel beside her and she nearly jumped when he took her hand. It was one of the first shows of contact he had given her. She sat there, confused, as she waited for him to say something to explain himself.

"Sakura…" he took a deep breath and hesitated. His grip tightened slightly and he continued, "I…have something to tell you. About why you're here."

She frowned and said, "What is it? I already told you Sasuke; I'm not helping any of you. No matter how kindly you may have treated me, I won't do it."

"Just hear me out—" he started to say but she interrupted with a forceful, "No."

He was silent a moment and her hand was released. He breathed in deeply and the next words he said were soft, so much that she had to lean in to hear him.

"Sakura…I think I'm dying. That's why you've been brought here."

The world stopped; she felt it, even if she couldn't see it. Her heart hammered into overdrive in her chest and her head felt light. She faintly heard herself gasp and cursed mentally at the small sign of caring. But that was the farthest thing from her mind. Sasuke might be _dying_.

"Everyone is dying, Sasuke." She finally stated matter-of-factly. He made a strange, choking sound that worried her before answering, "I know that Sakura. But I've been sick for a while; I don't know what it is. No one does. You're the only one we could think of that might be able to figure it out."

She remained silent until he took her hand again and said, "Please, Sakura. I'm the only one here that is sick. You're my only hope…" his voice trailed off and she sighed. Her heart hurt to think of him suffering, but her honor was still strong. Even so, his voice, his presence, his words, all weakened her into saying, "If it's that bad…I'll consider it."

He squeezed her hand. "Really?" he questioned.

"Yes." She hesitated and then said, "I'll study your condition and try to diagnose your sickness. But I will not agree to healing you at the moment."

His lips on hers startled her so much that she jumped. She didn't respond, but he didn't wait for one. She could hear the eagerness in his tone when he said, "Thank you, Sakura. That's enough for now."

She nodded; it was all she could do. He squeezed her hand again before leaving.

*****

Sasuke shut the door and stormed down the hall to his room before turning to Madara, his eyes searing with rage.

"What the hell was that?" he hissed, swiping his hand through the air. He knew the smile was there even though he couldn't see it when the masked Uchiha answered, "That was my gaining your beautiful blossom to our side, at least temporarily."

Sasuke gave a frustrated yell and turned his back on his leader. He'd done the talking but Madara had done everything else. He'd even kissed her! _Kissed_ her! What the hell?

Madara chuckled from behind. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. Did you dislike that last little action of persuasion? I thought it was a rather nice icing on the cake."

"Leave. And don't come back. And don't you dare go to her again." Sasuke growled lowly, his voice barely audible but clearly filled with anger. Madara chuckled and left the raven alone.

Sasuke sighed and fell onto his back on his bed. Scrubbing his hands over his face, he left them covering his eyes as he thought about how to respond to his new twist of events.

*****

Sakura waited the entire day for him to come back. He never did. Guards came in to feed her and take her to the bathroom but that was it. He never showed up again.

With a heavy heart, the pink-haired kunoichi lay down to go to sleep. A while later, sleep heavy on her mind, she felt the bed sink behind her. Warmth embraced her and she turned her head sleepily towards the source.

Sasuke's breath was a warm caress across her cheek and she whispered sleepily, "What…what are you doing?"

His voice was a low, rumbling, husky sound as he answered in her ear, "Breaking all the rules."

She felt him untie her hands and found out slowly that her feet were also unbound. He didn't touch the blindfold, leaving that for her to decide. She reached up and took it off, blinking her eyes open. The room was pitch black, so it wasn't much different, but at least her eyes were open. She turned her head to glance at Sasuke; she couldn't see him, but she could faintly make out his silhouette, a lighter black against the blackness.

"Why?" she asked softly.

"I want to. And if you want to escape, I want you to. Everyone else is gone but me."

Sakura's breath caught in her throat. Freedom, completely in her grasp. All she had to do was keep it that way.

She sat up and felt him stiffen. But she only stretched and lay back down, facing him. Her face was inches from his and she whispered, "Go to sleep Sasuke. I'll still be here in the morning."

And she was; when he woke, his arms possessively around her, her head tucked perfectly under his chin, their bodies fitting together like matching puzzle pieces, she was still there.

And Sasuke had never felt such pain.

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Sooo...yeahh. *hesitant smile* Hope you guys liked it! Chapter 4 will hopefully be coming soon. R&R Please!!

~Miah-Chan


	5. Chapter 4

Thanks for the favs and feedback guys. :] I'm Updating earlier this time lol mostly because it's been a week and I'm going to be gone for the weekend, therefore not able to UD for you guys. Sooo, I guess, here's Chapther 4! :D

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto!

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**Chapter 4.**

"I need a shower."

Sasuke chuckled at that as he looked at her turned back. She sat on the bed, stretching her arms above her head to loosen the kinks. Lowering her arms, she asked without looking at him, "What? I'm serious. I can't even say how long it's been since I've had one because just the thought sickens me." She shivered in disgust and Sasuke chuckled again.

"There's a shower in the bathroom. You go ahead and I'll get you some towels." He told her, standing and turning, stretching. He heard the bed squeak and knew she was looking at him. For some reason he couldn't place, that thought had his heart rate speeding up double-time. He decided to ignore it and started towards the door.

"I'll be back shortly," he said before leaving.

Sakura blew out a slow breath and closed her eyes. She hadn't seen his face, but it didn't matter. It was really Sasuke.

She walked to the bathroom, started the water in the shower, and stripped. She studied her face in the mirror for a moment, made a face at the mess she looked, and stepped into the steaming water. She sighed in bliss; it felt so good to have the water run down her back, cleansing her.

She found soap and shampoo and set to work at washing off. She heard the door open and Sasuke ask, "Where do you want these?"

"Wherever is fine." She answered, cutting off the water and slicking back her hair from her eyes. She hated to stop the bath, but the water was turning cold and she was clean. She pulled back the shower curtain and dried off with a towel, wrapping it about her once she found her clothes weren't there.

She emerged from the bathroom, water dripping from her hair, traveling slowly over her shoulders. Sasuke sucked in a breath and looked away. He could feel her sea-green eyes study him.

"Where are my clothes?" she inquired, stopping at the threshold of the bathroom. He didn't look at her as he sat with his back to her.

"They were filthy. New ones are on the bed for you," he answered slowly. She paused, waiting to see if he'd say or do anything more, before padding over to the bed. There, laid out, was a pair of white Capri leggings, a black skirt, a sleeve-less red tank top that zipped up to cleavage level and undergarments. She raised a brow, noting the colors were those of Akatsuki without suggesting her becoming a member. Deciding it would do no harm in wearing the clothes, she gathered them in her arms and returned to the bathroom. Once she came out again, she was smiling.

"They fit perfectly." She said. Sasuke nodded and told her, "Karin is about your size. I figured they might fit."

"Do you have any shoes?" she asked, walking towards him.

"Should be some near the bed." He answered. She frowned and walked up behind him. He stood with his back facing her, as always. She touched his shoulder and felt him flinch.

"Sasuke, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." He lied. Even she could hear the lie in his voice. Setting her jaw, determined, she retorted, "Then look at me."

"No." he refused, shaking her touch away. She frowned and put her hands on her hips. "Why not?" she demanded. He didn't answer and she grabbed his shoulder again, using her strength to turn him towards her anyway.

He was still gorgeous. His dark eyes wouldn't meet hers, staying downward; his bangs came to tickle his cheeks, reaching his chin. His jaw was taunt with anger. Sakura caught her breath in her throat at the sight of him.

A silence engulfed them and finally his eyes flickered to meet hers. And stayed there, helpless. Now that he was looking at her he couldn't look away. Agony touched those dark orbs before it disappeared and Sakura felt her heart tighten in her chest. He was hurting.

"I don't want you to see me," he murmured in answer to her question. Sakura stared at him a moment before whispering, "Why?" He shook his head, eyes closed, finally able to break their locked gazes. As soon as he did, her arms were around him in an unbreakable embrace.

"Oh Sasuke," she breathed, battling tears. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around her waist to return the hug, his chin resting on her head. He grimaced to himself at the wistfulness of hope and joy in her voice.

"I've missed you so much…" she whispered next. Sasuke almost pushed her away before remembering Madara's words; '_She is the only hope we have, Sasuke. If you want to continue to live long enough to enforce your justice, then you will do whatever is necessary to sway her to our side…Make her love you again. A woman will do anything for the man she loves… you must play along, Sasuke. She will never believe you if you continue to be cold with her._'

"I've missed you too." He said softly, tightening his hold on her. They stayed that way for a few moments before Sasuke cleared his throat and backed away from her. She stayed where she was, her lips curved into a lovely smile, her eyes shining.

"Um…" he glanced away, paused, and said, "Get your shoes on."

Sakura trotted over to the bed, found the black shoes that were now hers, slipped them on and came back to him. He opened the door and waved a hand to usher her through. She went and he closed the door, taking a left and walking forward. She followed after him and asked curiously, "Where are we going?"

"Does it matter?" he asked in return. She shook her head and he smirked a bit. He thought about it for a second before taking her hand and glancing at her surprised expression. A wicked grin overcame his features and he took off running, pulling her behind. She was startled at first but then laughed and followed, her fingers intertwined with his.

Sasuke led her up four flights of stairs and into a large room containing various types of furniture. Sakura looked around curiously and inquired, "Where are we?"

"The lounge of sorts," he answered absentmindedly as he looked around for the presence he felt. He and Sakura may have been the only ones there the night before but it wasn't so now.

"Come out, Karin." He stated loud enough for the hidden girl to hear in the next room. A door, one that Sakura had glanced over before, opened and a fiery-haired young woman in black-rimmed glasses came out. Her gaze traveled over Sakura without interest for a split second before continuing on to Sasuke with what could only be described as lust. Sakura felt something bubble in her stomach, something unpleasant and acidic. She knew what it was, had felt it before many times as a young girl; jealous anger, white hot. Her grip tightened on Sasuke's hand a little. He chuckled lowly.

"Karin, this is Sakura. Sakura, my teammate, Karin." He introduced them. Sakura nodded at her without a word but Karin had no such intentions. She smirked as she fell onto one of the reclining chairs and drawled snidely, "Ah, our little captive, eh? Well I guess you are kind of pretty now that you've had a shower; Suigetsu just may have a decent eye yet. Hmm, Sasuke-kun?" She smiled sweetly at Sasuke who resisted rolling his eyes. At Sakura's glare, he squeezed her hand lightly in reassurance.

"Where are the others?" he asked Karin. She pouted briefly since he didn't agree with her little snipe at Sakura but answered, "Jugo and Suigetsu are somewhere around here. I don't know where _he_ is." She spat 'he' out like a curse. Sasuke nodded approvingly and started forward, Sakura following.

"Is she supposed to be here? I thought you were supposed to—" Karin stopped at Sasuke's heated glare. Swallowing hard she stayed silent and looked away. Sasuke grunted and they left the room.

"Sasuke," Sakura said hesitantly as they walked down the hallway. "What did she mean?"

"Nothing. She's just being Karin." He answered shortly. Sakura sniffed and muttered, "She's a bitch."

Sasuke chuckled and nodded. "That she is. Can't do anything about it though. And for the record, Suigetsu's eye for pretty women sucks." At the look that overcame Sakura's face Sasuke stopped and smiled at her.

"Hey, don't give me that look. You're beautiful. Suigetsu just doesn't appreciate the difference." He comforted her truthfully. He had always thought Sakura was pretty in her own way, but over the years she had blossomed into a unique beauty.

Her smile was hesitant but bright and she murmured a quiet, "Thank you" as a blush crept its way to her cheeks. Sasuke chuckled inwardly; she was cute when she blushed. He resumed walking with her, leading her into a large kitchen area next.

"As expected," he commented dryly under his breath once he saw the large, orange-haired giant preparing himself a snack. If one could call the multi-layered sandwich a snack, that is. Jugo turned to face him as they entered.

"Oh, Sasuke. I didn't know you'd be up so early." He rumbled softly. His eyes swept over Sakura and, to her surprise, he smiled at her.

"Hello," he greeted her. She couldn't help but smile back uncertainly and repeated the greeting. Sasuke pulled her forward as he spoke to Jugo, "Yeah, I figured I'd give Sakura a tour of sorts. Sakura, Jugo. Jugo, you know Sakura."

The giant man nodded and held out a hand to her. Sakura hesitated, shocked by his politeness, but shook his hand anyway. It swallowed hers, being almost two times her size, but his grip was gentle. Sakura felt herself liking the large man already, despite the fact of who he was.

"Nice to meet you," she said sincerely. He smiled and nodded, releasing her hand. He looked at Sasuke and stated, "He wants to see you once he returns. He said it was important and not to keep him waiting. He's in a very foul mood today."

"Yeah, isn't that a shock." Sasuke sneered, his anger not at Jugo, but at the unnamed man. He seemed to shake the anger quickly, hiding it, and grunted thanks to Jugo before taking Sakura with him out the door.

She debated on whether to ask or not but finally decided that it couldn't do that much harm.

"Whom did he speak of?"

"No one." He spat back shortly; his anger and hate tainting the air. Sakura frowned and stopped walking, forcing him to stop as well. He glanced over his shoulder at her, annoyance flashing through his obsidian eyes.

"What?" he asked, turning to face her. Sakura raised a brow at him and he sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes.

"Fine. Jugo spoke of our…master; I guess you might as well call him. Though he insists he is only our leader, master seems to be a more appropriate term for him considered they're always orders he gives us rather than debatable suggestions." He explained sourly. Sakura nodded before asking, as he expected, "What's his name?"

"Madara."

Sakura raised her brows in shock. "As in, Uchiha Madara?" At Sasuke's nod she shook her head, muttering something under her breath. Sasuke didn't bother asking what she had said, figuring it didn't really matter.

Finally, seeing she wasn't asking any more questions, he continued to walk forward. He intended to show her around, as he had told Jugo, to familiarize her with her surroundings. He had meant what he had said the previous night; he wanted her to escape. He knew that even if she didn't help him that she would have no choice but to stay with the Akatsuki. Either that, or die. And if he died himself because she didn't help him, then she would have no protection at all from Madara, even if the protection he gave her now was only very little. To say the least, she wouldn't have the luxuries she had now once he was gone. So if by showing her around the compound might somehow help her to better an escape plan, so be it. Dying would be better than knowing he had left her with Madara forever.

Irony was a bitch, he realized dryly. First he was completely willing to do whatever possible to get Sakura here to help and now he was all but ready to take her back to Konoha himself. Stupid emotions; this was what he got for letting them loose for a few days.

"You know, glowering like that will give you wrinkles early." Sakura stated casually. Sasuke glanced at her to find her expression serious. He smirked and shrugged without a word. A tingle of recognition ran over his skin at that moment and he knew that Madara was back.

"Shit." He cursed under his breath, changing direction abruptly. Sakura squeaked as he took off running, not expecting the sudden change. She followed him silently until she noticed that they were heading back down the stairs.

"Sasuke, where are we going?" she asked, already knowing the answer. She could see the door to her bedroom now. Sasuke paused to open it and then pulled her inside.

"I've got to go," he told her, glancing over his shoulder and out the open doorway, as though expecting something any moment. He looked back at her, his eyes studying her before he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly. Her eyes widened but she couldn't help but respond, joy flooding her being.

He ended the kiss as quickly as he started it, eyes glinting with an unreadable expression before he ordered, "Stay here. I'll be back as soon as I can." With her nod he turned and strode from the room, closing and locking the door behind him.

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Umm...yeah hope it was okay!! R&R please!! Reviews keep me willing to write this fic and others!!! :D

~Miah-Chan


	6. Chapter 5

Woot woot, Chapter 5 is here!! :D This is actually one of my favorite chapters. Even though I think I made Sasuke kinda OOC...but I don't care lol, I still love this chappie. *happy dances* Hope you guys enjoy it too! I'm going to have to tighten up...Posting Chapter 5 already, ya'll are catching up with my writing this story lol. I'm going to have to find some inspiration to continue soon that way you guys aren't waiting around for month's on end for another Update. XP So you know what that means!! Inspiration is the result of R&R from the fans!! XD

**Disclaimer:** Miah-Chan does not own Naruto!

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**Chapter 5.**

"You wanted to see me?" Sasuke commented as he entered the large conference room that Madara waited in. Said man turned to face him and Sasuke caught chills from the look he couldn't see. Apparently, he was in deep shit. Madara _knew_; he had to.

"Yes. Sasuke, what exactly are you doing?" the older man asked softly. Sasuke steeled himself, what for he was unsure, but it couldn't hurt to prepare for the worst. He crossed his arms over his chest and raised a brow. "I'm not sure I know what you mean," he answered.

Power lashed at him, raw and consuming. Sasuke sucked in a breath despite himself. He had to remember whom he was dealing with here. This man may want him for whatever scheme he had in mind, but he wasn't above killing him either, or at least harming him to the point of death, considering their new medic-nin captive.

"Don't play a fool, Sasuke. You know exactly what I speak of." Madara hissed lowly, angrily. Sasuke shrugged and replied carefully, "I'm gaining her trust. That's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"By letting her roam around the compound? Are you naïve, boy?" the masked man growled. Sasuke sighed, resisting, somehow, the urge to roll his eyes.

"She wasn't roaming around; I had her in my grasp the entire time. And no, I'm not. I know the vitality of this."

"Then start acting like it," Madara snapped. Sasuke growled slightly and inquired, "What's the big deal, anyway? I thought your entire plot was to make her love me again so that she would assist us. Well, keeping her bound and locked in a room the entire time won't do that. I know Sakura. She won't trust me unless I act on what I claim to feel. And thanks to your damn stunt with the kiss, I have to take it further than I had originally intended."

Madara snorted and the force of his power fell away, allowing Sasuke to breathe properly again. His leader shifted in his stance so that he was leaning against a wall, looking at the younger Uchiha. He was silent a moment before voicing, "I have a feeling this is more than you trying to sway her to our side." Seeing Sasuke about to protest, Madara waved a hand to silence him and continued, "Whatever it may be, I don't really care. So long as you do what you're supposed to. Now get to it, and if she escapes, boy, I'll make sure you both pay for it." With that warning in place, he turned away from Sasuke, dismissing him.

Sasuke left, mentally cursing himself and his so-called 'leader' the entire time. Screw his ideas of escape for Sakura now. He wouldn't risk having the girl die because of his foolishness.

This thought in itself made him pause in his curses. Why, all of a sudden, was he so concerned for Sakura's safety? It had never bothered him before, even when they had been teammates in Konoha. Was it just because he knew the extent that Madara would go to get what he wanted? Or was it because he did actually care for her, somewhere deep inside?

Sasuke grimaced. He couldn't even muster up a decent lie to himself that the latter idea was impossible. Because it wasn't impossible; in fact, it was the most logical explanation of all. But how the hell it had come to this, he had no idea.

Hissing out a breath, he continued to make his way back to Sakura's room. That kiss he'd given her before he'd left—he hadn't even thought about it before he'd done it. It was just instinctive, something he'd wanted rather than done as a ploy. Which was ever more evidence that he had real feelings for the girl; otherwise it would have meant nothing and he would have felt nothing. It sure did figure that he'd realize he had real feelings in the midst of all the lies he'd woven. Fate and Irony must be twin bitches.

Pulling himself out of his confused musings, he knocked on Sakura's door before entering. The cherry-blossomed-haired woman sat on the edge of her bed, waiting. She smiled at him once he entered and waited until he closed the door before coming to him. Her smile died when she saw the look on his face. Without a word she embraced him, holding him close. Sasuke sighed as he rest his cheek on her hair. Surprisingly enough, just letting her hug him like this was as much comfort as he needed.

They stood like this for a few moments in silence until Sakura pulled back to look at him without releasing him. She studied his expression for a few seconds before saying quietly, "You're angry."

Sasuke closed his eyes and blew out a breath. Angry didn't even begin to cover it.

Sakura took his hand and pulled him over to the bed, sitting down before tugging him down beside her.

"Lay," she ordered. Raising a brow, he did, his head in her lap. She smiled at him. "I'm a nurse, not a psychiatrist, but I'm still fairly good at listening. What's wrong?"

Sasuke stared at her for a second, trying to figure out what exactly she was saying. When it dawned on him that she wanted him to talk about why he was angry he snorted. "Sakura, you know talking about my feelings has never been a strong suit for me."

She snorted back, making him smile, despite himself.

"Oh, I know. But what have you got to lose? Certainly not your dignity. For God's sake Sasuke, I'm a captive at your hands. What could I possibly do?" the glint in her sea green eyes suggested she could probably do more than was suggested but Sasuke didn't bother looking into that. He simply sighed and adverted his eyes from hers stubbornly. She chuckled and began playing with his hair, running her fingers through it. Sasuke found the act could almost lull him to sleep if he let it. Not to mention it calmed him, erasing his anger easily, soothing him. She began a massage that left him practically fighting to keep his eyes open.

Sakura stopped abruptly after a few moments and Sasuke opened his eyes to pout at her. Only to realize that he was pouting once she started giggling.

'_Dammit, are you serious? I'm _pouting_ now? You've got to be kidding me! I don't _pout!' he thought to himself as he wiped the expression away. It was too late by that point, however. Sakura was already grinning wickedly and he knew the teasing was coming.

"Awww, I'm sorry. Were you enjoying that?" she asked. Sasuke grunted and turned his head away from her. She laughed softly and continued, "Well I could always keep going, you know."

"Sounds like this comes with a catch," he muttered. He could practically feel her grin widen as she replied casually, "Nothing too bad." He grunted again and she explained, "Just tell me why you were angry." Another grunt was received and Sakura pointed out, "You're imitating a pig, you know."

That broke him into a smirk and he glanced at her. He sighed before answering, "Fine. Madara pissed me off. And no, I will not explain why. Let's just say the man is an asshole and leave it." With that he turned his head away again with a frown. Sakura smirked triumphantly and began to play with his hair again. She didn't inquire any further about his anger, simply left it where he had. After all, it wouldn't be fair to push him any further when he wouldn't answer anyway, not to mention she had promised to resume her actions once he answered the question.

She began her massage again without thought, her gaze on her fingers. It felt wonderful to be here with him, to be able to touch and hold him, to talk with him. It was odd, and she admitted even a little suspicious, that he was so laid back now and much more open than she had ever seen him, but she was glad for it. It was a side she had never seen before, a side she had longed to see of him, and even questioned if it really existed like it tended to in others. But now that she was aware that it did, indeed, exist, she was thrilled to see it more and more. She even hoped she would be here longer in order to see it that much more.

That thought made her frown slightly. Was it bad—even a little sick?—that she _wanted_ to stay here? Not because she wanted to help Akatsuki—oh no, she would still die before doing that—but because she wanted to stay with Sasuke now that she had found him and this new, nicer part of him. A part of her felt like she had betrayed her home for even thinking such a thing; not just her home, but Naruto as well.

Sakura grimaced now and closed her eyes tightly. If she had betrayed anyone at all while she had been here, it was Naruto. She hadn't thought of him or Konoha since her first couple of days here, and neither had she thought of escape nor trying to somehow send a message to him. She hadn't thought about really anything other than enjoying the time here with Sasuke.

God, she was a bitch! She hadn't only betrayed Naruto by her thoughts, she betrayed him with her actions too. Not only Naruto, but Sasuke as well.

"Sakura?" Sasuke inquired lowly, almost sleepily. The kunoichi opened her eyes to gaze into obsidian, dark depths that were watching her intently no matter how sleepy the voice appeared.

Sasuke watched as Sakura opened her eyes; she might as well have opened a floodgate to her emotions. They swirled like a whirlpool, coming and going and then returning only to be swept away by more once again. The ones he managed to read weren't happy ones. He resisted frowning and continued to study her. She had ceased her massaging, which was what had woken him; he hadn't even been aware he'd fallen asleep. But as he had woken, he'd seen her face—a look of regret and self-hatred so strong he couldn't imagine what she was thinking of to feel something of that degree. He waited to see if she'd come out of her thoughts on her own but when that possibility passed quickly he knew he'd have to snap her out of them himself.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up slowly. Sakura looked away from him and breathed deeply before saying softly, "Sasuke, there's something I should tell you. Something I should have told you before." He waited and when it was clear it was up to her to continue, she did.

"I really don't want you to hate me again," she started. He began to object but she shook her head. "I know you probably will. But, the truth is, well, I…before your team kidnapped me I was…still am, I guess…seeing someone."

Sasuke raised a brow and questioned, "Seeing someone? As in, dating?" At her nod he felt something churn his stomach before asking lowly, "Who?"

She looked at him, her eyes glowing with knowing, and replied softly, "Naruto."

* * *

_**Dun, dun, duuunnn**_!!! Oh my, how shall Sasuke react to this news?? And _just _when he had achknowledged that he actually does have some type of feelings for the cherry-haired kunoichi. *grins* Yeah I know, I'm mean. But the kindness shall return!! I promise!! All you have to do is review! :D Lol thanks for reading guys

~Miah-Chan


	7. Chapter 6

OMG guys I feel absolutely _awful_ about leaving you all with that last chapter! X.x I completely forgot I had left you all hanging with that. So sorry, please forgive me. But, at least I'm updating now, neh? Considering I'll be gone for a week of vacation XP Lol. Well I hope you all enjoy this chapter, after making you wait for so long. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto

**Author's Note:** There is hint at sexual attraction during this chapter. There will probably be more later throughout the story, but I have yet to decide on this. If need be, I will raise the Rating of this story. Readers, simply keep in mind that this may occur. Thank you and enjoy. :)

* * *

**Chapter 6.**

"C'mon, _princess_, it's time for your daily walk around." Karin sneered as she opened the door to Sakura's room. The pink-haired young woman was no longer bound, gagged and blindfolded and forced to stay in her room day in and day out since Sasuke had taken her around the compound. There was no point in it when she had already been around it. Now she was simply locked in her room most of the time until someone came to get her and take her for a walk to stretch her legs. They didn't take her anywhere near exists or certain rooms, but they would allow her the kitchen and lounge area as well as most of the halls so long as she didn't go inside any of the rooms. Not that she could, even if she wanted to, since she always had an escort.

Sakura glared right back at the bitchy redhead as she stepped out the door and into the hall. Karin sniffed and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her off down the hall. Sakura resisted the urge to pull back and punch the girl through the next four walls. But that wouldn't be the best of ideas, considering then she would no longer be able to live in the nice, but poorly guarded room she did now. If she ever really wanted to escape she could just punch the walls down and make a run for it. Not that even her inhuman strength guaranteed her escape.

She followed Karin down the hallways obediently, scowling at her back all the same. She had come to dislike Karin more and more in the time she had been here; even just hearing the girl's voice set her teeth on edge. Thankfully, however, that was normally the only thing she did have to do with her save for when she came to get her and dump her with either Jugo or Suigetsu. Speaking of which, Sakura was _really_ hoping it was Jugo she was with today.

He might have information about Sasuke.

Sakura felt her heart sink. She hadn't seen Sasuke since she had told him about her relationship with Naruto; that had been two weeks ago, nearly three. She didn't know where he was; she couldn't feel his chakara, but he had always been good at hiding it to near invisibility. Of course, knowing Sasuke, he could have disappeared on a mission to avoid her effectively. She didn't know, but she was determined to find out. And Jugo would eventually tell her whereas Suigetsu would not.

Sakura smiled a bit to herself. Time to dig a little.

* * *

Sasuke just so happened to be exactly where he'd always been since the day he had left Sakura in her room alone without a word; in his bedroom.

At the moment he was lying on his back on his bed, one hand under his head while the other was draped across his eyes to block out any remaining light that might have somehow found its way into the darkened room. His jaw was taunt as he clenched his teeth, a habit he had embraced to hold back his anger that somehow managed to work most of the time.

She was with _Naruto_. That stupid, hyperactive, idiotic, loud, annoying _brat_. How could she possibly be with Naruto after all the times she had ignored him, turned him down, and claimed to hate him as she poured out her love for Sasuke? How could she—?

Sasuke growled loudly as he came back to the answer he knew was true but nonetheless hated. She had turned to Naruto when he left, seeking comfort and love that he had never given. Naruto, who had always loved her; Naruto, who could always somehow make what she wanted reality; Naruto, who promised and provided exactly that; _Naruto_, _Naruto_, _Naruto_!

"Damn it!" he snarled, clenching his fists until his nails bit into his flesh painfully. Though the pain kept him from punching a hole in the wall. But _why_, why did he feel so…so…_jealous_? Emotions he could handle well enough, but this…this was insanity! He'd never felt this kind of anger, this kind of loathing, not even when he hated his brother.

Sasuke growled again and this time not even pain could stop him from the tremendous hole he embedded into the wall.

'_I shouldn't be this angry. I _shouldn't_! And yet my blood boils at the thought of Sakura being with Naruto. Hell, with anyone for that matter. She could have told me she was with Rock Lee or Gaara or someone I don't even know and I would still be as pissed as I am now._' He ranted to himself as he turned over on his stomach and buried his head in his pillow. '_But _why_ am I so angry? I shouldn't be. Even if I acknowledge the fact that I have feelings for her…and I do…it doesn't mean I have a right to get this upset over the fact that she found someone else. Even if that someone is Naruto._' He clenched his teeth again, his hands forming into fists. Even as he tried to talk himself into being calm, the very thought that she had gone to Naruto, had been with Naruto, angered him greater still.

Yes, he was jealous, angry and wanted to kill the blonde for moving in on what was his, had always been his, and always would be his. The dumb ass had always had a knack for doing that.

Sasuke caught his breath and turned his head to stare at the hole now decorating the wall beside his bed. Could Sakura really be clarified as his? Sure, he had feelings for her that he no longer kept at bay, and he certainly wanted her. But, if he thought about it fairly, she technically wasn't his and therefore Naruto had all rights to moving in to take what he wanted.

But still. The thought pissed him off and he intended to make Sakura his whether he thought her as so already or not. And Naruto could just kiss his ass and move on.

* * *

"Jugo," Sakura smiled sweetly as she took a seat beside the orange-haired man a few minuets after Karin left them. He smiled back at her and replied softly, "Yes, Sakura?" He liked the pink-haired captive and knew by now when she wanted something. Now was one of those times and he had a feeling just what exactly she wanted as well.

"Jugo, would you do me a favor?" Sakura continued, her green eyes shining brightly with excited anticipation. He chuckled, "Depends on what it is." She leaned forward and lowered her voice as she said quietly, "Would you be willing to tell me where Sasuke is?"

Jugo smiled at her again and waited a few moments until it looked as though the pink-haired kunoichi would burst before saying, "He's here. He hasn't left his room." At her look of relief he gave her a stern look in return.

"Sakura…" he chided in a warning tone. Sakura looked at him innocently and asked, "What?" He gave her a pointed look and she grinned as she slid closer to him. "Oh come on, Jugo," she pleaded. "Just take me to him."

"I can't. Madara will…hell, Sasuke would…" he groaned at her when she gave him her puppy eyes and looked away. Dammit, he liked the girl, he couldn't help it; even if she was a captive and he was supposed to be cold with her, she was still a sweet girl. And she knew exactly how to work those big, green eyes of hers. A glance back told him that she was still giving him puppy eyes and he groaned.

"Dammit, you're going to get me in trouble," he muttered as he stood. Sakura grinned triumphantly and pat his arm reassuringly. "I'll be sure to take all the blame. Now c'mon!" He sighed and took her wrist lightly as he guided her down different hallways until they came to a door.

"This is his room." Jugo informed her quietly. Sakura looked at the closed door grimly and then back to Jugo. "Thank you," she smiled, walking towards it. His grip remained on her wrist and pulled her to a stop. Sakura frowned at him and he said, "What are you doing? I can't actually let you in there."

"Jugo, I have to talk to him. He's been avoiding me for nearly three weeks now. It's got to end sometime and knowing him, he'll drag it out. It needs to be resolved _now_." Sakura explained, tugging on her wrist. Jugo's hold remained stern and he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sakura," he apologized sincerely. "But I can't—"

"Let her in, Jugo. I'll take over from here." Came Sasuke's cool voice. Jugo looked over Sakura's head in surprise to find that Sasuke leaned in the doorway of his room, his features icy. Sakura looked at him as well, and then back to Jugo. She smiled a bit and nodded slightly. Jugo finally sighed and released her, backing away.

"I'll come back for you in an hour," he told Sakura, his eyes on Sasuke. Sasuke shook his head as he moved to let Sakura inside. "That won't be necessary. You continue, as you were, Jugo. I'll take responsibility for Sakura from here on." With that said, he stepped back and closed the door softly behind him.

Once inside his room again, Sasuke turned to look at Sakura who was standing a few feet away from him. She met his gaze, her green eyes hard and angry, but regret was still there. He grunted and made his way around her, to his bed where he lit a candle on the nightstand. As the flame came to life, so too, did many others aligning the walls. The room was instantly filled with a warm glow that did nothing to reassure the two occupants within it.

Sakura watched as he stood, watching the flame silently. Finally she said dryly, "Are we really going to go through this whole 'cold shoulder' deal much longer? It's pointless."

Sasuke cast her a glare and sat on the bed so that he was facing her. His eyes were cold and he replied just as coldly, "Is it? We don't seem to have anything to talk about." Sakura growled as she clenched a fist and snapped, "That's bullshit and you know it, Sasuke. You're just too proud to admit that you're pissed off at me. Well fine; if you don't want to talk, then allow me." Sasuke quirked a brow but let her continue.

Her eyes burned into his as she spoke. "I understand you're angry. I expected you to be. But what you have to understand is that while I loved you, you shattered my heart when you left. A girl can only take so much heartbreak before she decides to make better for herself. I didn't start dating Naruto right away after you left; we hadn't even started dating when we met with you in Orochimaru's lair years later. In fact, I just began dating him seriously a few months before your team kidnapped me. So it's not as though I used him instantly as a rebound after you left. Believe it or not I was still recovering from you. I feel bad enough in being here with you now and cheating on Naruto without you avoiding me like the plague. Not to mention I feel awful for allowing us to kiss when you didn't know I was in a relationship. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before but I also didn't realize that we were going to do anything like we did. So you can't entirely blame me for keeping it from you."

Sasuke watched her as she trailed off. Her eyes lowered to look at her feet and silence took hold once more. Finally Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I can't blame you; hell, I didn't even know it would come to be something between us. It's just…why Naruto?"

Sakura smiled fondly as she lifted her gaze back to his to answer, "I trust him. And there is something between us, but I'm quite certain it's only strong friendship. Considering that we've never kissed, and the only time we held hands was awkward, I'd say it's a safe bet that we wouldn't have lasted much longer as a couple. Our dating was pretty much what we have always done; go out and eat and talk or take a walk together or occasionally see a movie. Nothing real."

Relief was so deep that Sasuke was shocked at the reaction. So the two were dating, but not seriously. He didn't know why that enthused him as much as it did, but at the moment he really could care less. He held Sakura's gaze and pat the seat beside him. She made her way over to him and sat. He turned to look at her fully and smirked.

"So, in that case," he murmured. "I probably don't have to worry about you hitting me for this." He kissed her then, holding the nape of her neck so that she couldn't pull away but kept the kiss gentle. Sakura didn't respond at first but finally she sighed lightly and gave in.

When he pulled away, Sakura mock-glared at him. "Sasuke," she chided. "Whether you like it or not, I'm still technically taken." Sasuke snorted and pulled her close to him, looking her in the eye.

"Not here, you're not. Not with me." He whispered possessively in her ear. She shivered and he smiled. He proceeded to kiss her earlobe, her neck, her jaw-line, all the while carefully laying her back on his bed so that he was on top of her. She shuddered at his touch, but they both knew it was a reaction of pleasure rather than revulsion and Sasuke brought his lips back to meet hers. This time she responded eagerly, her hands coming up to cradle his head, her fingers running through his hair.

The kiss deepened and Sakura smiled a bit as she heard the rumble in Sasuke's throat that she was sure could turn out to be a groan if she worked at it enough. She pulled him closer, their chests touching, Sasuke keeping his weight off of her by his elbows and knees alone. Their tongues danced beneath their lips, tasting and exploring.

Sakura gasped slightly when Sasuke took her lower lip between his teeth lightly, the pain brief before he kissed it away again. And then he was traveling down her, kissing her cheeks, her jaw-line, neck, collarbone until he reached her shirt and growled in irritation.

The growl ceased once he remembered the shirt zipped up and he smirked. Taking the zipper, he began to unzip the article before Sakura stopped him. He growled again, his eyes coming to meet hers in question.

She laughed a bit breathlessly, her cheeks flushing a pink that matched her hair. Her eyes were bright with lust and love, but determination was there as well, battling back the want he could see.

"Sasuke," she smiled, holding his hand that still hadn't released the zipper yet. "Calm down. Trust me, I would love this, but I'm just not ready. And neither are you."

"I know what I want," he growled lowly. Her eyes flashed and she replied dryly, "I'm sure. You, and every other man on the planet. If you want _that_ then go to that bitch upstairs. She's just _dying_ to shag you senseless. I, on the other hand, am not something you're going to get without price." She smiled as she sat up and plucked his hand away from her shirt, zipping the clothing article back to its original place. Placing a hand on his chest, she pushed him away firmly until there was an arm's length between them. Sasuke frowned sourly.

"If you want me, you have to take all of me. That means a relationship, Sasuke, not just this." The blossom-haired young woman continued. "I love you; you know that. And you may have missed me, as you said, and I may believe that, but if you don't love me as well then there will never be anything between us like this again."

"I want _you_, Sakura." Sasuke finally said, his tone possessive. Sakura smiled, even if the look in his eyes made her want to shiver. "And I will have you, no matter what it takes." He continued, determination with every word. Sakura laughed lightly.

"Well, I suggest you start making dinner plans or something, because you won't get me without the relationship." She repeated sternly. Something flashed through his eyes at her words and he replied, "No matter what, I will have you. If it means playing your game, then I will. But I always get what I want, Sakura. Remember that."

"Oh, I've never forgotten, Sasuke." She replied, standing. His entire attitude had changed since she had last seen him; he was no longer the quiet, caring man she had mainly seen since she'd been here. Yet, he was not the same man she'd seen while still in Konoha's residence, and he in Orochimaru's care. He was an entirely different man now, one who strove to conquer and possess what he wished for, one who was determined to get exactly that. And what he wanted was her.

In a way, it excited her that he wanted her so strongly. And in another way, it saddened her that he may only want her for the lust that burned between them now. Whatever reason he had for wanting her so badly now, she couldn't change it. She'd just have to wait it out and see how exactly he planned on going about making her, his.

And oh, she wanted to be his. She wanted it desperately, but even _she_ had a will that would not be broken down by lust and satiable needs. She would stay true to her word; if Sasuke wanted her, he would get her with all the necessities, with all the ties.

'_This could turn out to become amusing_,' she thought with a small smirk as she watched Sasuke. '_Let's see just how far he will go._'

* * *

I loved writing Sasuke in this chapter :) I feel like he went from being like a spoiled "I didn't get my way so I'mma throw a tantrum till I do" child to an extremely, uh...ahem, well you guys understand. XD Lol so now the question is; Sasuke feels something for Sakura, but what exactly is it? Love or lust? :) We shall find out. R&R is appriciated! I promise not to be so slow about UDing next time! *Cross my heart*

~Miah-Chan


	8. Chapter 7

Sorry for the wait, again, guys! *sweatdrop* I'm a serious procrasinator. Heh. In my defense though, I've been working my butt off lately lol so I haven't had time to UD, or write on this fic for that matter. Which brings me to my next bit of news: you guys have officially caught up with me on this fic. This is the last chapter I have written in Word, so I'm going to have to get to writing on it again so that you guys don't wait a year before another UD XP I'll get to it, promise! But for now, enjoy the chappie :)

Miah-Chan **disclaims** Naruto!

* * *

**Chapter 7.**

"Four weeks!" Madara's shout, filled with rage, had even Sasuke regretting his being in the masked man's presence. Yet, he sat there, in the conference den with the rest of his team, waiting for Madara's tirade to end. Unfortunately, with the news Sasuke had unwillingly given him, that was likely to be a long time coming.

"Four _weeks_," their leader hissed again, his head turned to primarily look at Sasuke. Everyone could feel his glare even if it couldn't be seen. Sasuke simply sat there, legs stretched out before him, crossed at the ankles, arms crossed over his chest, a bored expression on his face. The only sign that he was wary was the tautness in his jaw. With his posture, the rest of his team figured he to be either a braver man than they knew, or the most foolish one.

"Yes, it's been four weeks since Sakura last agreed to helping us." Sasuke ground out through clenched teeth. "What is your point, Madara?"

'_Fool_,' thought Suigetsu as he watched Madara. The man had gone eerily still at Sasuke's words, but the Mist ninja knew he was fighting not to kill his accomplice and be done with it. Suigetsu glanced back to Sasuke, who hadn't moved an inch. The raven-haired man was just dying for a death wish, apparently, if he were so stupid as to bait their leader so airily.

"My point, _boy_," Madara spat lowly. "Is that it has been four weeks since I made sure that she were willing to help, and yet nothing has been done. What the hell have you been doing these last four weeks? You're supposed to have already had her heal you, damn it! And yet you disappeared into your room for three of these weeks, sulking like a spoiled brat because the little girl had a boyfriend back home. And this last week past, you've been doing nothing short of treating her like a queen! Do you _want_ to die, boy?"

It took most of Sasuke's being not to launch himself at the man and kill him. He knew it wouldn't solve anything, save for easing him of his fury. None of his team had known why he had been absent those three weeks and why he suddenly was courting Sakura. The fact that Madara not only knew, but also had shared that information, pissed him off for some reason. Normally he wouldn't have cared if his team had known something of that sort. Perhaps it was because it was more personal.

"What do my personal actions with Sakura at this time have anything to do with your goal?" he growled back. But he already knew. Madara needed Sasuke alive to do his bidding, and in order for Sasuke to stay alive, they needed Sakura.

"You know why. Get your mind back on target, Sasuke. If you don't want to die, you will make the girl heal you. If you don't say something today about it, I'll go to my own personal lengths and _force_ her to do it. Choose which path you will." Madara retorted a bit more calmly now. Regaining his composure, he turned on his heal and stalked out of the room. Sasuke clenched his fists, his nails biting into his flesh.

"Well…that was…intriguing." Suigetsu murmured as the door swung shut. Jugo snorted and Suigetsu inquired carefully, "So…you and the captive want to get it on, eh, boss?" Sasuke resisted rolling his eyes. Suigetsu's comment only succeeded in making Karin throw a hissy fit. Sasuke sighed and stood, beginning to walk towards the door.

"Tell the little lady hello for me, won't you? Maybe even give her a kiss or two for me as well," Suigetsu called to him, grinning. Jugo shook his head; and he'd believe Sasuke a fool when dealing with Madara. At least Madara wouldn't kill Sasuke for something so simple as barbs. Sasuke on the other hand…

Suigetsu laughed as he caught the shuriken aimed for his head. He cursed as he missed the kunai thrown at his chest.

"Damn it, Sasuke, I was kidding!" he yelled after the retreated raven. Jugo smirked as Karin laughed cruelly. Suigetsu cursed again, pulling the kunai out of his shoulder, where he had managed to make it hit rather than his heart, which it had been aimed for no doubt.

"Bastard Uchiha," he muttered, leaving to tend to the wound. Karin grinned as he left, calling out snidely, "Too bad he didn't throw another and finish you off." Suigetsu yelled something back over his shoulder at her that Jugo didn't hear but Karin did. Her face turning red, she stalked after him, yelling back. Jugo sighed and rubbed his temples wearily. His teammates could be _so_ childish.

Shaking his head to himself, he, too, left the conference den to find better things to do.

* * *

Sakura looked up at the knock on her door and smiled softly. Sasuke was the only one courteous enough to knock besides Jugo. She called for him to come in and put down the book she had been reading that Sasuke had found for her earlier that week. It wasn't that interesting, but it killed time nonetheless.

Sasuke entered silently, closing the door behind him and walked towards her with a grace she envied. He stopped at the foot of her bed and watched her a moment before sighing and coming over to sit beside her. Sakura raised a brow at him.

"What's wrong?" she asked carefully. Sasuke smirked bitterly and replied, "Do you remember a couple of weeks ago, when I came to you and asked you again to help me?"

Sakura nodded; she remembered. It had been the first time he had kissed her; and the first time he had actually told her why she had been brought here.

Sasuke was possibly dying.

The said raven sighed again and ran a hand through his hair. He still hated Madara for that day, for kissing her. He hated himself for going along with the plan and agreeing to use the Projection Jutsu to throw his voice so that it sounded as though he had been right next to her, doing the things Madara had done, all while he stood in the doorway to watch. Grinding his teeth, he stayed silent for a bit longer, controlling his anger.

Finally he spoke again, "You agreed to help me that day. Do you still hold true to that word?"

"Of course. I agreed that I would study and try to diagnose your sickness, but I wouldn't heal you yet. I'll still do it, but I'm going to need the proper equipment. Not to mention I'm going to have to study you. Which means being out of this damned room more than your leader would probably like." She said the last sentence with loathing, making Sasuke nearly smile. She hadn't even met Madara yet, and still she hated him.

"Madara assumed you would need equipment. He's had a lab set up for you with the best and newest of technologies as well as anything else he thought you'd need. As for you needing to study me, I'm sure that could be arranged." Sasuke told her. Sakura nodded approvingly, replying, "Good. Then we can get started as soon as you like."

Relieved, Sasuke gave her a small smile. She returned it and then turned serious.

"Now, before we start any tests, I need to know the symptoms of your illness that you've had so far," She stated. Sasuke wanted to grin at her doctor-like tone. She was definitely a medic-ninja, all business now.

"Well," he thought about what he had experienced in the recent months. "most of the time I've had headaches. A lot." Speaking of which, he did in fact have one starting up at the moment. He rubbed at his temple by habit. "I've also had cases where I've been confused and drowsy for no real reason…it's happened on missions before; that's why you haven't seen me go out on any since you've been here. Madara has pulled me out of any mission unless they're serious. He doesn't want to risk me." He smirked bitterly but continued, this time more quietly.

"I've also had convulsions before. Twice, if I remember right." He glanced at her, seeing worry in her eyes. "And of course, after those were more confusion and drowsiness. They're the main reason I've been stationed on hiatus."

Sakura nodded and he realized she had suddenly conjured up a pen and paper to write notes on. Blinking, he tried to figure out where they had come from. With no avail he decided to leave it alone, figuring he had probably given them to her sometime or another; maybe when he'd given her the book to read.

"Mmm…" she bit her lip as she read over the notes. Glancing at him, she asked, "Any vomiting? Diarrhea?" He nodded, answering, "Some. And stomach pains at times." She nodded again, writing it down. Finishing, she sighed and rubbed a hand over her face.

"Show me the lab. We need to do some tests." She commanded. Without a word, Sasuke led her to the lab Madara had set up for her. Sakura whistled at the equipment.

"You guys must really be racking it in with your missions," she commented lightly, walking around to investigate. Sasuke shrugged, watching her as she inspected everything while gathering her tools. After she had finished, she pat the uncomfortable table-like bed that was covered in a thin, paper-type sheet with a matching pillow. Sasuke grunted but sat on the flimsy thing, wrinkling his nose in distaste. Sakura laughed.

"You're not one for hospitals, are you?" she grinned. Sasuke didn't answer, which she took as agreement. He had that nervous look in his eye that all patients had whenever they had, had a bad experience with doctors or hospitals. Sakura decided it would be wiser not to ask why he was uncomfortable, and rather set out to work.

She took a few samples of hair, skin cells, and fingernail. She frowned deeper as she saw the pigmentation of his fingernails; definitely not healthy or normal. Deciding to look into it, she handed him a small cup. He looked at her weirdly.

"Go use the bathroom and leave this in there when you're done," she said, all seriousness. He blinked at her as though she were speaking in a foreign language and said, "Excuse me?" Her lips quirked with the need to smile but she resisted.

"You heard me. Go." She shooed him off the table and into the bathroom. He gave her a final 'you've lost your bloody mind' look but then disappeared behind the door. She finally let loose her grin and turned away to her equipment to compose herself before he returned.

* * *

"You know," Sakura stated softly as she toyed with Sasuke's hair as they lay on her bed one night a few weeks later. "I'm actually really happy I never tried to escape." Sasuke grunted in agreement, half asleep. His back was turned to her so that she could play with his hair, as she wanted to do so often. He didn't know why; maybe it was just a girl thing.

"I feel bad that Naruto is probably sick with worry, but I just haven't been able to bring myself to feel bad over anything more than that." She smiled a bit, her free hand lying against his back, between his shoulders. "See what you do to me?"

She felt a chuckle rumble through his chest, though it never really sounded. He grunted again as he turned over, wrapping his arms around her, his chin resting on her head. His eyes were still closed as he muttered sleepily, "Stop your rambling, woman, and get some sleep." She felt his small smile and couldn't help but smile in return to it. She was so happy in the situation she should have been most upset with.

Even so, sleep evaded her long after Sasuke had fallen deep into his dreams. She tried to fall asleep but her thoughts kept her awake; it didn't help that Sasuke was leaving for a mission tomorrow. She didn't know what, but she didn't like it, especially since she didn't know what was wrong with him yet.

'_Of course,_' she chided herself as she sat up carefully, untangling herself from Sasuke's arms. '_I can go to the lab and try to finish my work. That will not only tire me enough to sleep, but maybe I'll even finish so that I know what's wrong with him before his mission tomorrow._'

With that in mind, she dressed in a shirt of Sasuke's, which he had lent her once when she had to wash her own, and left the room silently, walking down to the lab.

After hours of working, with eyes heavy with fatigue, Sakura finally diagnosed Sasuke's illness.

"Eureka!"

Sasuke woke as he felt beside him and was met with emptiness. Opening his eyes a crack, he realized Sakura was no longer there. Sitting up quickly, he held his head as dizziness swept over him. Cursing lowly, he staggered to the bathroom, washed his face and then walked back into the bedroom, still holding his head as though it would stop the room from spinning so much. He sat down on the bed and rest his head between his knees, closing his eyes; it normally helped.

He looked up slowly as the door opened, revealing a grinning Sakura. He raised a brow as she practically danced over to him, almost laughing with pride. He sat up as she came to stand before him in nothing but the T-shirt he had given her. His mouth went dry; damn she looked fine.

"What's made you so excited?" he questioned to get his mind out of the gutter…or attempt, anyway. Damn, did he _have _to go on this mission? He adverted his eyes away from her body, to look at her face. Fatigue showed beneath the excitement. He frowned and stood, touching her cheek. "Did you get any sleep at all?"

She shook her head but grinned still. "No, but I have great news!"

He frowned disapprovingly at her. "Sakura, you need your rest. I know you don't do much around here but still—"

"I've diagnosed your illness!" she interrupted with a laugh. His eyes widened a fraction before he said, "Really? But it's only been two weeks since you started testing." She gave a prideful smile and nodded.

"I know. But hey, that's why you guys kidnapped me, right? I'm just that good." She winked and continued, "But anyway, don't you want to know what's wrong with you?" He nodded and she sat them down on the bed, still practically bouncing with her knowledge. He gathered it couldn't be that bad if she was this excited.

"You have arsenic poisoning." She finally said. He raised a brow and questioned, "Arsenic poisoning…?" She nodded and proceeded to explain, "Yeah. Arsenic is found in food, and is extremely toxic. A lot of times its found in table salt, drinking water or seafood. It's usually used to poison rats or mice, but it can kill anything living."

"So how did you figure out it was that?" he inquired curiously.

"From the hair samples I took; arsenic is found in the hair follicles. It can stay there for years, so there was no problem finding it, especially since you've only just become sick recently enough. I also found signs of it in the fingernail and skin samples I took. And I also found blood in the urine, which is a symptom that the poison was developing to bigger heights." She gave him a serious look and said, "Final results of arsenic poisoning are coma or death. You have too many of the serious symptoms of it for my liking."

He didn't react to this news, having prepared himself for the possibility of death long before she had arrived. He was a ninja, after all; death was part of life. It was just damn suck-ish that he could die from something like arsenic poisoning.

"But it's okay, since I caught it early. All we need to do is get some sulfur into your system." Sakura continued, grinning again. He raised a brow in question and she explained, "Sulfur can eliminate some of the arsenic. You should eat lots of eggs, onions, beans, legumes, or garlic. I can even get some sulfur tablets for you if Madara will let me."

Sasuke stared at the woman, who was beaming with pride. She had done it; she had _actually_ figured out what was wrong with him.

He wasn't dying. This crossed his mind first.

What would become of Sakura, now that her purpose was complete? This was his second thought.

Noticing that Sasuke hadn't said anything yet, Sakura studied him closely. His eyes were widened just a fraction to show her that he was surprised that she had done so well in such a short time. But there was also worry in those dark depths; not for himself, but for her. Her grin faded and she asked softly, "What's wrong?"

He began to shake his head to dismiss her question but she graphed his face between his hands gently and looked him in the eyes, inquiring again her question. He studied her eyes a moment before sighing and answering with adverted eyes; "I don't know what Madara will do with you now that you have completed your purpose here."

She let his face go, which made him look at her again and replied, "It doesn't matter." He raised a brow.

"Yeah it does. He'll probably kill you," he answered bluntly. She shrugged, making him raise a brow higher. She wasn't afraid of dying? From the girl he remembered when they were kids she had been absolutely terrified of death. Yet that wasn't so in this case anymore. Why?

"If he kills me, he kills me. I knew that was going to be a certainty when your team kidnapped me. I knew that once I had done whatever it was you wanted, I would die. I came to terms with death years before now Sasuke. As an ANBU Black Op, or a ninja in general, you can't be afraid of death. It's an inevitable part of life; everyone will die sometime." She smiled again. "Besides, if I had to die any time soon, I'm glad that I had a chance to see you once more before it happened. That I had the chance to talk to you, to hold you, and to see this side of you. My only regret would be that I had left Naruto behind without any knowledge. And that he would never know that you are safe, for the most part."

Her smile became sad as she looked at him and he felt like squirming. He held back of course, but the force of her gaze did things to him that he didn't want to think about. He had never felt real guilt before, but the emotion in her eyes…gah! He hated himself for doing all the things to her that had caused her heartache. Hated himself for doing all the things that had caused his best friend heartache as well.

"You are truly a strange but strong woman, Sakura." He heard himself compliment her. Her smile returned to being proud, which helped the guilt fade. She hugged him suddenly, but he returned it gratefully. He could feel her smile on his neck as he held her; making his lips twitch with one of his own. This woman was remarkable; he only wished he had seen it sooner because now he feared it would be too late.

* * *

Well, we now know what Sasuke's illness is :P For once, I had this planned out haha. XD Sooo, now the couple shall live happily ever after with the few remaining members of Akatsuki...Hah, riiiiight XP You guys know me better than that. It'd be way too simple that way. :P Plus, it would make this story crap to give it that particular ending, and so soon lol. Soo, you now must wait for the next UD! :) Remember...Reviews are love! :3 Toodles till next time, lovlies! :)

~Miah-Chan


	9. IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE

**I'm really sorry to disappoint all who have been reading this fic, but I don't have much other choice. I know you've all been waiting for me to update a new chapter of "I Just Can't Live A Lie" and ****I truely wish I had been able to provide as I had said I would. However, I must put this story on hold; I started college almost as soon after I posted the last chapter of the fic, and this is why you ****guys have not recieved an update. With so much work to do concerning the new semester, I simply have not had the time, or the inspiration, to write any more on "I Just Can't Live A Lie". ****Hopefully once the stress of college dies down I will have some creativity come back to my mind and I will begin writing again. Unfortunately until then, I have to put this story on hold. I really do ****apologize to everyone who was waiting for an update, I know this isn't what you were expecting, but I hope everyone understands. Education must come first :]**

**Thanks for reading guys, I hope when I finally have a chance to return that you haven't forgotten me and will want to continue reading my fics. :] Until then, caio my friends!**

**~Miah-Chan**


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